Commissioner Clyburn Says She Can Achieve More by Leaving the Agency

A Q&A with FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.

Commission Mignon Clyburn won’t call the Federal Communication Commission broken. But she believes it is “out of focus.” “The agency appears to be just looking through a lens that is industry-centered,” Commissioner Clyburn said. “When you are monofocal—not at least bifocal in looking at [both] the consumer needs and industry needs—then you can get it wrong. I think that pendulum is tilted too far in the other way.”\

Though Commissioner Clyburn didn’t share any specific plans going forward (a run for Congress has long been whispered about), she said wants to work with politicians at the state and local level to try to push back against the FCC’s broad changes. She plans to advocate for the causes she’s passionate about and encourage lawmakers to replace the progress the FCC is rolling back. “I am inspired by those states who actually passed net neutrality laws and made it very clear to citizens and the FCC that you are on the wrong side of history,” Commissioner Clyburn said. “I think it's time for me to be on the winning side, on the state and local levels, where I see those governors and those lawmakers saying: ‘We want to be protected. We want and believe in net neutrality principles and we will stand up to any authority including the FCC who says otherwise.’”